This application is related to and claims priority from Japanese Patent Applications No. 2000-345708 filed on Nov. 13, 2000 and No. 2001-249417 filed on Aug. 20, 2001, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicle air conditioner supported by and fixed to a supporting member for supporting a vehicle steering wheel unit inside a dashboard.
2. Description of Related Art
In a conventional vehicle structure, an air conditioner is supported by and is fixed to a supporting member (reinforcement bar), extending in a vehicle right-left direction, for supporting a vehicle steering wheel unit. Therefore, the air conditioner and the supporting member are integrated (modularlized) with each other, and a vehicle assembly method can be simplified. However, when the air conditioner is fixed to the supporting member, a vibration generated due to the operation of a blower of the air conditioner is readily transmitted to the steering wheel unit through the supporting member.
In view of the foregoing problem, it is an object of the present invention to restrict vibration, generated due to operation of a blower, from being transmitted to the steering wheel unit.
According to the present invention, an air conditioner of a vehicle includes a blower case for accommodating a blower, an air conditioning case for accommodating a temperature adjusting unit, and a connection duct for connecting the blower case and the air conditioning case. Therefore, air flows from the blower case to the air conditioning case through the connection duct. In addition, the blower case and the air conditioning case are disposed to be supported by and to be fixed to the supporting member, and the connection duct is made of a vibration-absorption material. Because the connection duct for connecting the blower case and the air conditioning case is made of the vibration-absorption material, the vibration transmitted from the blower case to the air conditioning case can be absorbed by the connection duct among the vibration generated due to the operation of the blower. Thus, the vibration of the air conditioning case can be reduced, and the vibration transmitted from the air conditioning case to the supporting member can be reduced, thereby reducing the vibration transmitted to the steering wheel unit. Since the connection duct absorbs the vibration, a new component for absorbing the vibration is not required.
Alternatively, the blower case is connected to an inside/outside air switching box through a connection duct made of a vibration-absorption material. Therefore, when the inside/outside air switching box is fixed to the supporting member for supporting the steering wheel unit, a vibration transmission from the blower case to the inside/outside air switching box can be reduced by the connection duct, and the vibration transmitted from the air conditioner case to the supporting member can be reduced, thereby reducing the vibration transmitted to the steering wheel unit.
According to the present invention, in a mounting structure of an air conditioner on a vehicle, a supporting member for supporting a steering wheel unit is disposed inside a dashboard of the vehicle, a bracket is provided on a case for accommodating a blower and a temperature adjusting unit, and a vibration-absorption member is disposed between the supporting member and the bracket to absorb vibration using elastic deformation of the vibration-absorption member. Accordingly, vibration transmitted from the case to the supporting member can be absorbed by the vibration-absorption member, and vibration transmitted to the steering wheel unit from the case of the air conditioner can be reduced.
Preferably, at least a part of a blower casing of the case is fixed to the supporting member, at a vehicle-side fixing portion at which the supporting member is fixed to a vehicle body. Because the vehicle-side fixing portion is strongly fixed to the vehicle body, when the blower casing is fixed to the vehicle-side fixing portion, vibration transmitted from the blower casing to the supporting member can be effectively reduced at the vehicle-side fixing portion, and the vibration transmitting to the steering wheel unit can be effectively reduced.